Celery did not appear yesterday. Even the Egyptians prepared healing preparations and cosmetic masks from it, which were designed to preserve beauty. In India and Tibet, in China, everywhere celery played a big role. And here we have this culture is only now gaining popularity. And then not everyone loves celery for its harsh taste. And in vain, because a lot can be said about the benefits of this plant.
General Description
Cultivation of celery in central Russia and even more so in Siberia is not an easy task. This is a rather capricious guest in your garden. But the result builds the effort expended. Celery will feed and heal. Therefore, if you have a personal plot, then be sure to select a garden bed for it.
- Cultivation of petiole celery is very popular. It is boiled and stewed, marinated and s alted. Its fiber is digested slowly, whichpromotes long-term satiety.
- It would seem that today there are so many drugs that you can do without this spice. But growing celery in your garden may allow you to use fewer or no medications at all. The plant has an antiseptic, wound healing and laxative, as well as a diuretic effect. It is an ideal source of vitamins and mineral s alts.
In general, if you do not like this plant, then it's time to change your attitude towards it. Growing celery in your summer cottage will save a lot on vitamin complexes, as it is a great alternative.
Petiole and root
There are two main forms of the plant. One forms juicy and fleshy stems, and the second - root crops. We will talk about the technology of growing each of them. Many gardeners plant both in the garden, as both have their advantages.
Cultivation of celery begins with planting seedlings. A heat-loving plant does not tolerate frost well, so it is recommended to sow plants in boxes in the spring, and then transplant them into the ground. So you will not lose time and will definitely get a harvest.
Timing
This is a "tough" vegetable with capricious seeds. They sprout for a long time, grow slowly, and some will refuse to leave the ground at all. Therefore, if you wait for stable heat and sow them in open ground, you risk being left without a crop at all. Since it is desirable to grow celery by the middle of summer, then start plantingyou need to put it in containers in February or wait until March.
Practice shows the amazing property of seeds. Their germination improves over time. Therefore, if you managed to find a pack of three- or four-year-old seeds in the store, you can expect friendly and strong seedlings.
Choose the soil
For seedlings, you need to prepare boxes with a light, nutritious mixture. To do this, mix garden soil and humus in different parts, as well as sand. The substrate needs to be slightly moistened, and covered with a dense layer of snow on top. Seeds germinate best when immersed in snow. Gradually, together with melt water, they enter the soil and germinate. Returning to when to sow celery for seedlings, we can say that before the end of winter. Of course, each region is different, but you need to focus on the second half of February.
The depth of embedding is not of great importance, so it is better to take containers not deep, but wide. It will take a long time to wait for the first shoots. If you have not processed the seed, then the wait can be delayed for three weeks. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend pre-soaking them in a stimulant solution. This culture is very demanding on the content of nutrients. Therefore, it is best to buy fertile soil in the store.
First shoots
If you have never grown this vegetable, you may be unpleasantly surprised. Weak, thin sprouts do not look convincing at all. Therefore, before planting, you need to learn how to grow celery. Now seedlings need special care. They are watered byspraying, and try not to overmoisten the soil, so as not to destroy them.
Until the first true leaves appear, you need to follow the greenhouse cultivation regime. That is, be sure to close the landings with film or glass at night and open during the day. You need to take care of the seedlings according to the standard scheme, that is, maintaining the correct temperature and watering conditions and regularly airing. Seedlings grow slowly, but most often this is the only problem that the gardener faces.
Grow strong seedlings
It is in the first week that there is a danger that the seedlings will stretch. To prevent this, it is recommended to arrange lighting with phytolamps. In addition, it is recommended to lower the temperature. To do this, you can take out a box with seedlings in the corridor or put it on the balcony. Every day, the earth needs to be moistened with a spray bottle.
As soon as the plants rise above the ground, you need to fully open the box. Perform thinning regularly. This way you ensure that strong seedlings have a better chance of becoming full-fledged plants.
Picking
Stalked celery seedlings need a treatment after the first full leaves appear. It is best to choose cups with a retractable bottom so as not to damage the root system when transplanting into the ground. When picking celery, you need to pinch the main root a few centimeters. After that, it is transferred to a separate glass. It can be a special, peat, or pre-used jar of yogurt or sour cream. Necessarydeepen the plant down to the first leaves.
Planting into the garden
Transfer of celery to open ground is carried out only at the end of May or beginning of June. More precisely, it can be said based on the analysis of the climatic features of the region. By this time, the sprouts will already get stronger. Planting petiole celery should be carried out according to the scheme 2525 cm. In order for the beds not to be covered with a crust, it is recommended to use mulch. For this, sawdust and straw are used. For weaker sprouts, you can build a cover in the form of plastic cups without a bottom.
Sowing directly into the ground
Immediately after planting, celery needs to be fed using liquid fertilizer. Today there are varieties that can be sown directly into the ground. These are precocious Golden Pen and Utah. This method has its pros and cons. On the one hand, less work for the gardener. On the other hand, further thinning of seedlings will be required. The seeds are very small, even with a tape you will not be able to distribute them evenly across the rows. But your goal is to get lush bushes, which means they must have room to grow.
Preparation of the soil for planting is carried out according to standard technology. It is necessary to dig up the ground in the fall and remove all weeds. After that, carry out the appropriate soil fertilization. Humus is great, but not fresh manure. Its introduction will lead to the development of spotting in plants, which is very difficult to cope with. With the onset of warm days, it is recommended to feed the earth with phosphorus and potassium.
Optimalacidity is 7 ph. If necessary, lime or dolomite must be added to normalize these indicators. The beds are lightly tamped and leveled. It is necessary to arrange good drainage for the beds, for which special grooves are equipped to remove moisture.
Cultivation of petiole celery
Based on the climatic conditions of the region, you can decide when to sow celery for seedlings. But today we take an average date. That is, in February, you need to sow seeds, and in May, transfer them to the ground. Growing plants from seedlings is not at all difficult. Leaving is reduced to the following rules:
- It is necessary to carry out regular watering, but at the same time focus on weather conditions and soil conditions. Watering the celery is very important, keep the soil constantly moist, but do not let the water stand.
- The plant requires organic fertilizer every 10 days.
- Hilling. Applies to all varieties, except for those that are able to bleach themselves. They need to be spudded at intervals of 1 time in 3 weeks.
Features and difficulties
Rod celery is a capricious culture, so the gardener must be prepared for certain difficulties. Most often, the main problem is the calculation of the required amount of moisture. If there is little watering, then the middle part of the petiole becomes inedible. At the same time, it cannot be determined externally, the plant looks he althy.
Ifplant weak seedlings or one that has already outgrown, then you can achieve the formation of peduncles. This will also make the plants unfit for food.
If putrefactive bacteria penetrate inside the trunk, this can cause pathological processes in the core.
If watering is insufficient, it may affect the development of petioles. Under such conditions, they crack.
For growing root crops
Celery root is considered less whimsical. It is most often grown from seedlings. In mid-May, you can plant plants in open ground. And even in this case, you need to follow the weather forecast and cover the beds in case of frost. When hypothermia, the plant throws out a peduncle, now the root crop will no longer form. You get a patch of tassels that won't even be useful for making a bouquet.
If the danger of frost still exists, but you decide to plant root celery, it is recommended to build a small greenhouse directly above the bed. There are reasons to hurry. The fact is that the late planting of celery adversely affects the growth and development of this crop.
Some subtleties
Yield indicators directly depend on how high-quality care was provided. Celery root should not be sunk deep into the ground. The growing point is always above the surface. This will allow you to get a quality crop.
It is necessary to plant a root crop in such a way that the distance between plants is at least 30 cm. Now you need to regularly water the plants and remove weeds. Make sure that pests do not attack juicy greens. Especially love her slugs. At the first appearance of damaged leaves, it is required to start a fight with gastropods until they destroy the planting. Dark spots and drying leaves can indicate viral or bacterial diseases.
Secrets of a great harvest
Unlike petiole, root celery can be perfectly stored all winter. Therefore, it is better to grow it more and put it in the cellar, in a box with sand. There are pretty simple rules that will allow you to get great results:
- It is not recommended to cut the foliage. This will weaken the bushes and they will not be able to form roots.
- Hilling plants in this case will only bring harm. This procedure provokes the release of lateral roots.
- As soon as the active growth of the root begins, it is necessary to rake the soil from the top of the root crop. The shoots on the sides are cut with a knife for the same purpose.
- The soil must be kept constantly moist. This is a key point that will allow you to get an excellent harvest. In this case, it is important not to flood the garden. Watering should be maintained until the fruit is harvested. This will allow you to grow fragrant and tasty celery. Watering is carried out exclusively under the root.
Fertilization
Feeding celery should be done as needed. Unlike a petiole plant, in this case you should not get carried away with this procedure. To enlargeproductivity, it is recommended to fertilize plants with herbal infusion and mullein. If signs of weakening of the culture appear, monophosphate and nitrogen-containing substances should be added. A large number of them leads to the appearance of scab and other diseases. As soon as the foliage begins to dry up, you can harvest.
Instead of a conclusion
Celery is one of the he althiest vegetables to have on your table all year round. In summer it can be juicy petioles, and in winter - root crops. They can be added to soups and salads. Nutritionists emphasize that regular consumption of celery allows not only to fill the deficiency of nutrients in the body, but also to lose weight. This is made possible due to the high content of fiber in it, which is digested for a long time and gives a feeling of satiety.
